anyone seen Persephone?

Mrs. Lazarus, the blog is back from the dead, from whence malevolent forces dragged it deep into the underworld lo these past few weeks, to emerge again battered but triumphant, like Persephone in time for spring. Apologies to Sylvia Plath and Bullfinch’s mythology for the theatrics, but it was a pitched battle to which I brought a dull trowel, while my unseen, cowardly enemies wielded the unfathomable powers of their dark arts, hurling code of deadly viruses. More apologies to all visitors who were greeted by the malware warning instead of pleasant photos of plants.

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So let’s get back to talking about plants, shall we? In the back garden, which is increasingly given over to succulents and dry garden shrubs, with little to bloom for summer except grasses, I carved out maybe a 4X4 patch for some spring ephemerals. The bearded iris is a rebloomer from Schreiner’s called ‘Final Episode,’ a bicolor, unlike the last bearded irises I grew, which were solid orange (see here). If the summer tattiness of the leaves doesn’t get too annoying, and they rebloom as promised, I might continue the experiment next year.

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Some Eryngium ‘Jade Frost’ were found locally last week, irresistibly sporting precocious bloom spikes, along with some ‘Ascot Rainbow’ euphorbia in bloom as well.

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The gauzy, pale purple linaria was planted maybe a month ago, a selection from Annie’s Annuals called Linaria marocanna ‘Licilia Azure.’ The linaria and eryngium possess those desirable small garden attributes of slim and tall. Silvery shrub is a native buckwheat, Eriogonum crocatum.

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One clump of iris out of three planted is in bloom at the moment.

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In other blooming news, cocoa-colored nicotiana have self-sown around the tank of the variegated octopus agave.

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Grevilleas continue to bloom into spring. ‘Robyn Gordon’

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Grevillea ‘Moonlight’

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Long-time blog denizen, the Corsican hellebore, just the one clump now. A ferocious reseeder.

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Another blog old-timer, winter blooming Pelargonium echinatum.

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Aeoniums bloom in trusses holding galaxies of thousands of tiny yellow stars

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And my newly potted Euphorbia bravoana surprised me by blooming this year.

Missed you!

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10 Responses to anyone seen Persephone?

  1. Renee says:

    Yay, you’re back! Glad to see you defeated the evil code. Those Grevillea are so pretty! Every time I see one on a blog, I try to convince myself I should try them…

  2. ks says:

    Welcome back Denise ! What a pia to have to those nasty malware slimeballs intrude on your personal space. I’m glad to see you have smote the enemy and and brought AGO back out of the darkness…I must say that malware message was dramatic as hell.
    How I love that E. ‘Jade Frost’ but have yet to have one (and there have been many) that didn’t revert after a couple of years. I keep buying them when I find them though.

  3. Kris P says:

    Victory at last! I’m so glad to see you’re back. Unlike Persephone, I trust that you will not be dragged back to hell next winter. Your bearded Iris are far ahead of mine but then few of mine bloomed at all during the last 3 years of drought – I’m hoping this winter’s rain represents a turning point. I just planted my first Eryngium in bareroot form, but they’re not that lovely variegated variety.

  4. I never did see the evil malware message, caught wind of it and stayed away… however I am thrilled to be back here again, even if it’s a little disorienting to see things different after all these years (disorienting and good…). Love the Euphorbia, the last shot. Super sexy!

  5. Ross says:

    I was afraid. Terribly afraid. Thought you gone for all time into some digital netherworld…..Great pics!!! Just the best!!!

  6. rusty duck says:

    Oh wow, that last euphorbia. Gorgeous!

  7. Nell says:

    Missed you back!
    And I’m with rd on that euphoria-inducing Euphorbia. Zowie.

  8. Sue says:

    Glad you prevailed. I heeded the warnings and stayed away so I missed the ominous message. The variegated Eryngium is sold around here but I heard it reverts and since Eryngium doesn’t seem to care much for our wet, cold winters, I’ve stayed away.

  9. Tim says:

    I thought it was perhaps my computer when I encountered the malware messages. Glad all is well. I like this new format.
    Of course your garden is gorgeous. Love that eryngium and the wonderful buckwheat. I’m trying a species (E. ovalifolium) from seed this year, although a couple that I really want aren’t hardy enough.
    I like the bicolored iris. My mother had one she called Wabash; pure white standards and dark purple falls. I’d buy it out of sentimentality, but I’m slowly eliminating german iris from the garden: so tired of borers.

  10. David Feix says:

    Welcome back, and sorry to hear you had to deal with figuring out a counterattack strategy. Lovely post as always.

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